Whether you leak a few drops or a whole lot more, let's explore the ways your bladder can misbehave.
Do I have urinary incontinence?
Do you leak urine when you are not sitting on the toilet?
Do you leak just a few drops with certain activities?
Do you leak enough that you have to wear pads all the time to avoid wetting your clothes?
If you answered "yes" to any of the above, you likely have urinary incontinence. Some women are surprised to learn that the term "incontinence" includes any accidental leakage, even just a few drops. Incontinence encompasses all unintentional bladder leaks, no matter how frequent or how small. Urinary incontinence is a very common issue that many women face. But hear this--- just because it is common, does not mean you must live with it!
A well-behaved bladder
Bladder function is a lot more complicated than you might think! There are many components that must work together in coordinated harmony to allow the bladder to relax and hold urine when it needs to, and also empty well and at the appropriate time.
The wall of the bladder is made up of muscle fibers called the detrusor muscle. This muscle must stay relaxed in order for the bladder to fill, and then contract only when you are ready to empty into the toilet. The urethra is the narrow tunnel that empties urine from the bladder to the outside. The internal urethral sphincter allows flow of urine out the bladder and into the urethra. The muscles of the pelvic floor provide support to the bladder and urethra, and help provide additional control over bladder filling and emptying.
Types of urinary incontinence
There are different ways in which the bladder can misbehave.
Some women have increased urgency and frequency, have to rush to the restroom because their bladder won't wait, or leak when they feel the sudden urge to go. These types of symptoms are related to bladder urgency, or "overactive bladder."
Some women find that they leak with certain activities such as laughing, sneezing, or coughing. Other physical activities such as running, jumping, or lifting heavy objects can cause a leak. This type of bladder misbehavior is called stress incontinence.
Many women find that they have both signs of urge incontinence and stress incontinence, or what we call mixed incontinence. Mixed incontinence can consist of equally bothersome stress and urge symptoms, or it can be predominantly one form more than another.
There is hope!
If you are carrying around a change of clothes when you leave the house, wear a panty liner "just in case," or always make note of the closest bathroom when you are out, please know that there are very effective treatment options.
Read these articles to learn more.....
(coming soon!)
If you are interested in learning more about treatments for urinary incontinence, please visit www.thegentlegyn.com or call the office of Dr. Amanda Kane at 941-499-1301 for more information.
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